III
109th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. RES. 573
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
September 19, 2006
Mr. Feingold (for himself, Mr. Brownback, Mr. DeWine, Mr. Martinez, Mr. Coleman, Mr. Kerry, Mr. Durbin, Mrs. Clinton, Mr. Leahy, Mr. Biden, and Mr. Kennedy) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to
RESOLUTION
Calling on the United States Government and the international community to support the successful transition from conflict to sustainable peace in Uganda.
Whereas, for nearly 2 decades, the Government of Uganda
has been engaged in a conflict with the Lord's Resistance Army (referred to in
this preamble as the LRA
) that has resulted in—
the deaths of approximately 200,000 individuals from violence and disease; and
the displacement of more than 1,600,000 individuals from the northern and eastern regions of Uganda;
Whereas more than half of those internally-displaced individuals are under the age of 15, and 95 percent of those individuals live in absolute poverty in camps where they face malnutrition, high rates of AIDS and malaria, and egregious abuses of their human rights;
Whereas the LRA has used brutal tactics during that conflict, including the abduction and abuse of more than 25,000 children who the organization forces to attack, rape, and murder members of their families and communities on behalf of the LRA;
Whereas continued instability and a lack of security in the northern region of Uganda has severely hindered the delivery of sufficient humanitarian assistance and services to individuals who have been displaced or otherwise negatively affected by that conflict;
Whereas spillover from the war in the northern region of Uganda have had negative consequences in the neighboring countries of Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo;
Whereas a successful transition to sustainable peace in the northern region of Uganda and throughout the country will depend in large part on a coordinated and comprehensive effort by the Government of Uganda, regional partners, and the international community to create new social, economic, and political opportunities for the citizens of Uganda who are affected by that conflict;
Whereas a sustainable political resolution to that conflict must include a range of locally and nationally driven reconciliation efforts that will require the endorsement and involvement of all parties to the conflict, as well as support from the international community;
Whereas the 2005 Country Reports on Human Rights
Practices, published by the Department of State, relating to the Government of
Uganda indicated that the security forces committed unlawful
killings…and were responsible for deaths as a result of torture
along
with other serious problems
, including repression of political
opposition, official impunity, and violence against women and children;
Whereas, in the Northern Uganda Crisis Response Act (Public Law 108–283; 118 Stat. 912), the Senate—
declared its support for a peaceful resolution of the conflict in the northern and eastern regions of Uganda; and
called for the United States and the international community to assist in rehabilitation, reconstruction, and demobilization efforts; and
Whereas the cessation of hostilities agreement, that was mediated by the Government of Southern Sudan and signed by representatives of the Government of Uganda and the LRA on August 20, 2006—
required both parties to cease all hostile military and media offensives; and
asked the Sudanese People’s Liberation Army to facilitate the safe assembly of LRA fighters in designated areas for the duration of the peace talks: Now, therefore, be it
That the Senate—
commends the delegates from the Government of Uganda and the Lord’s Resistance Army for agreeing to a cessation of hostilities for the first time in the 20 years of that devastating conflict;
recognizes the leadership role that the Government of Southern Sudan played in mediating that cessation of hostilities and establishing a framework within which a lasting peace to that conflict could be achieved;
emphasizes the importance of a complete implementation of the cessation of hostilities agreement by all parties to maintain progress towards a permanent resolution of that conflict;
expresses the support of the citizens of the United States for the people of Uganda who have endured decades of violence as a result of that conflict;
entreats all parties to address issues of accountability and impunity for war crimes and crimes against humanity, and to support broader national reconciliation efforts;
strongly encourages the Government of Uganda to improve the professionalism of Ugandan military personnel currently stationed in the northern and eastern regions of Uganda, with an emphasis on enhancing respect for human rights, accountability for abuses, and effective protection of civilians;
urges the Government of Uganda to follow through and augment its resettlement plan by—
expanding social services;
deploying professional civil servants; and
developing the legal, political, and security infrastructure—
necessary to facilitate the freedom of movement of civilians to their homes, land, and areas within and around camps; and
essential to fulfill the needs of returnees and former combatants; and
calls on the United States Department of State and the United States Agency for International Development, as well as the international community—
to provide adequate and coordinated humanitarian assistance through nongovernmental organizations to the individuals and areas most affected by that conflict;
to, while providing humanitarian assistance, pay particular attention to women and children who have been victimized; and
to provide—
sufficient technical assistance for the demobilization and reintegration of rebel combatants and abductees;
both financial and technical support for reconciliation and reconstruction efforts; and
diplomatic and logistical support for the cessation of hostilities agreement and subsequent progress towards a sustainable peace in Uganda.